Ohio voters Tuesday rejected the federal health care law's individual mandate for coverage and chose to preserve the freedom to choose their health plans.

With 73 percent of precincts statewide reporting, Issue 3 was winning, 66 percent to 34 percent. The official ballot language says it would preserve the freedom of Ohioans to choose their health care and health care coverage.

Ohio is among 26 states challenging the federal law and seeking a ruling from the Supreme Court. The referendum will not keep the federal health care bill from going into effect in Ohio if it is upheld by the Supreme Court, but it would prevent Ohio from enacting its own Massachusetts-style health care system.

Also also defeated was state Issue 1, which would have raised the age at which a judge must retire from 70 to 75.

Currently, a judge cannot take office if he or she is 70 or older at the beginning of a term. The Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association had opposed the issue though it had support from both Republicans and Democrats.

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